Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews, when available, can be found through the link for each race.

On Saturday, female stars match up at Santa Anita Park as Ce Ce and As Time Goes by square off in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Santa Maria, and at Churchill Downs, Frank’s Rockette and Sconsin are set to battle under the lights in the Grade 3 Winning Colors at 6 furlongs.

TVG will be broadcasting racing throughout the weekend from Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America’s Day at the Races” will be live on Saturday, May 22 on FS2 from 1-3 p.m., and from 4-11:30 p.m., featuring the live programming at Belmont Park and Churchill Downs. On Sunday, May 23, “America’s Day at the Races” will air on FS2 from 1-3 p.m., and from 4-5:30 p.m. ET.

 

 

Saturday, May  22

 4:35 p.m. ― $200,000 Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derek Smith’s 4-year-old filly As Time Goes By, a 9 ¼- length winner last time out in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes, and Bo Hirsch’s two-time Grade 1-winning 5-year-old mare Ce Ce, are set for a showdown in Saturday’s $200,000 Grade 2 Santa Maria at Santa Anita Park at 1 1/16 miles. Regally bred, As Time Goes By, the 2-5 morning line favorite, is a dark bay daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of Take Charge Lady, by Dehere. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Mike Smith, As Time Goes went wire to wire in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Margarita on April 24. Prior to that score, she finished second to last year’s 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita. Ce Ce is trained by Michael McCarthy, fresh off saddling Rombauer to victory in last Saturday’s Grade 1 Preakness Stakes. In 2020, Ce Ce, a chestnut daughter of Elusive Quality won the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn and the Beholder Mile. She tuned up for Saturday’s race by winning a 7-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita on April 17. Victor Espinoza has the mount from post 3.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA052221USA2-EQB.html

 

5:12 p.m.   ― $100,000 Seek Again Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

Eight older horses (with two also-eligibles) have been entered for Belmont’s Seek Again at 1 mile on turf, with Juddmonte’s 6-year-old Flavius, who has run at seven U.S. tracks since arriving from Ireland in 2019, the 2-1 morning line favorite. Trained by Chad Brown, and breaking from post 10 under Javier Castellano, Flavius was beaten a length while finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 6. Brown also saddles the 5-year-old Delaware (GB), who won Aqueduct’s listed 1-mile Danger’s Hour on April 10. West Point Thoroughbreds, William T. Freeman, William Sandbrook and Cheryl Manning’s 4-year-old Decorated Invader returns to Belmont where last year the son of Declaration of War won the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge and was second in the Grade 2 Hill Prince for trainer Christophe Clement. Decorated Invader also won the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga after the Pennine Ridge. In his first start of 2021, Decorated Invader finished third in the Danger’s Hour. Joel Rosario rides Decorated Invader from post seven. The Thomas Bush-trained 4-year-old Get Smokin won last year’s Hill Prince, and has a victory this year in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes. Get Smokin will be ridden by Junior Alvarado from post five.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL052221USA9-EQB.html

 

7:19 p.m.  ― $100,000 Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano’s Going Global (IRE), unbeaten in three starts in 2021 since arriving from Ireland, and Kaleem Shah’s Madone, a four-time winner, lead seven 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on turf. Going Global, trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden from post six by Flavien Prat, has won in succession the Grade 3  6-furlong Sweet Life, the listed 1-mile China Doll and the Grade 3  1 1/8-mile Providencia Stakes, all at Santa Anita. Madone, trained by Simon Callaghan and ridden by Juan Hernandez from post seven, won her first three starts last year, which included the listed Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, and the Surfer Girl at Santa Anita. In November, she finished eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland, unable to sustain a drive after the turn for home. Her 2021 debut was in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes on May 1. After stumbling at the start, the bay daughter of Vancouver (AUS) stayed just off the rail in the upper stretch and then surged between horses to win by a length. Pizzazz, owned by Perry Bass II and Ramona Bass, won the California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields on April 24 for trainer Richard Mandella.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA052221USA7-EQB.html

 

7:57 p.m. ― $150,000 Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs on FS2

Frank Fletcher Racing’s Frank’s Rockette and Lloyd Madison Farms’ Sconsin are the likely favorites headlining six older fillies and mares in the Grade 3 Winning Colors, going 6 furlongs at Churchill Downs. Trained by Bill Mott, Frank’s Rockette, a seven-time winner, has been off the board just once in 13 starts. That one start was against males in last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, where she finished 11th. Prior to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Frank’s Rockette won the Grade 3 Victory Ride, the Grade 2 Prioress and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap. She made two listed starts at Oaklawn Park this year, winning the American Beauty and finishing second by three-quarters of a length in the 6-furlong Carousel on April 10. A 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, Frank’s Rockette will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post two. Sconsin, trained by Greg Foley, was second by 1 ½ lengths to champion female sprinter Gamine in the Grade 2 Derby City Distaff on May 1 at Churchill. Last September, Sconsin, a 4-year-old by Include, won the Grade 2 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com, also at Churchill. Sconsin will break from post four under Tyler Gaffalione.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD052221USA5-EQB.html

 

10:11 p.m. ― $110,000 Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS2   

Maram’s Delta’s Kingdom seeks her first win of 2021 as the 5-2 morning line favorite in the $110,000 Keertana at Churchill Downs, one of 10 older fillies and mares entered for the 1 1/2-mile test on turf. Trained by Bill Mott, Delta’s Kingdom, a 5-year-old by Animal Kingdom, finished second in the Grade 3 Bewitch at Keeneland on April 23. Ridden by Florent Geroux from post eight, Delta’s Kingdom also finished second in the Grade 2 La Prevoyante at Gulfstream in January. Silverton Hill’s Pass the Plate, third in the Bewitch, finished second in Churchill’s Grade 3 Mrs. Revere last November for trainer Paul McGee. Rafael Bejarano rides Pass the Plate from post five. Bal Mar Equine’s 5-year-old gray/roan Dalika (GER), won the Albert M. Stall Memorial on Feb. 13 at the Fair Grounds, a race named after the father of her trainer, Al Stall Jr. Miguel Mena has the mount from post 10.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD052221USA9-EQB.html